Leveler



15, A T. BRUNO ETAL LEVELER- i Filed June 25, 1956 g sheets-sheet 1 /f 7zg..Z

:py I 'la'nM/J @0&3 @mvo/.5, hun non( J ATTORNEYJ 25, in accordanceV with usualv4 and cylinder being disposed with their cylindrical axis in radial alignment with the pivot 23 and also aligned with the slots 44 and 45, respectively.

bushing, 23a n the inner blade 20.-lwith the outer blade `24pivotally disposed on -said pin 23: forwardlyf` ofthe inner` blade and with `the lever arm ;30 pivotally disposed on said pin 23 on the rear` side of `said innerblade. With such arrangement, the inner blade `20 may abut against the outer blade 24 to prevent rearward deflectionof the outer ublale 24 under the.` stresses` imposed thereon in operation, while the lever arm` 30 and its associated mechanisms, beingdisposed rearwardly of the outer blade 20, Vwillbernaintained out of engagement with and protected from-.the ballast or other material piled up in front of the blades 20 and 24 in their normal operation. For the purpose `of reducing the `areas of frictional engagement between these blades 20 and 24 during their relative pivotal adjustment, either one of these blades, as for instance the blade 24, may'have fixed thereon raised bearing portions 31, 32 and 33, kfor engagement with the other blade 20, as best shown in Figure 3.

The said blade supporting lever also includes an actuating crank arm 34 extending generally radially upwardly from the pivot 23 andhaving a bifurcated free end delining a slot 35 for reception of acranlcpin 36 carried by the cross head `37 on the piston rod 38 of a doubleacting hydraulic unit, including a cylinder 39.

Itl will be seen that the cylinder 39 is provided at one end with a base plate 40 whichis bolted in fixed relation tothe mounting plate y13 rearwardly of the `blade 20. The arrangement is such that the` piston rod 38 'and its associated cross head 37 are disposed for extension and retraction rearwardlyiof the blade `20 in a horizontal direction parallel to the rearfaceof said blade 20. i

For the purpose of cooperating with the blades 20 and 24 to form varying types of cross-sectional proles on the ballast or other material or surface, there may be provided an auxiliary blade 50 hinged at 51 on the inner blade 20 adjacent its inner end for vertical swinging adjustment. Suitable means such as a bolt 52 threaded into the inner blade 20 through an arcuate slot 53 in blade 50 may serve to maintain the blade 50 in any of various positions of vertical angular adjustment about its hinge or pivot 51.

It will be noted that the pins 23 and 43 connect the outer blade 24 to the lever4 arm 30 so that the blade 24 may be considered as being carried or supported by the lever arm. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment the `pin 23 also serves asa pivotal connection between the inner blade y20 and the outer blade 24 for permitting vertical angular adjustment of blade 24.

Although the inner element 20 is referred to as a blade and may perform a scraping or leveling function, `this is not essential to the invention. Obviously, the primary As is best shown in Figure 6, the cross head 37 in- M cludes a portion 37a"carried rigidly on the piston rod 38 and projecting forwardly from its connection to the piston rod. A slide `plate 41 carried by portion 37o-is adapted for abutting sliding engagement with the rear face of ,the` inner blade or supporting element 20 to prevent i any substantialforwardydeection of the piston'rod 38 incident to raising of the lever arm 30 andthe outer blade 24, as hereinafter described. Extending inwardly from the portion 37a is an arm37b which carries the crank pin 36 abovementioned in operative engagement The preferred form of connectionl between the outer end of arm 30 and the bladej24 comprises a pin 43 carried by the arm `30and projecting forwardly therefrom through a`lateral slot 144 in the blade .24.2 The pivot pin 23 in the preferred embodiment also is disposed through a lateral slot 4 5 in blade 24, all to the end that the slots 44 and45 will permit relative lateral or radial adjustment ofthe outerblade 24 relative to the inner blade 20 and the pivot123, respectively.` The slots 44 and 45 are preferably covered by housings 44 and 45 bolted thereover on the front face of blade `24 to prevent Ventry of dirt into these slots or guideways. f

A power-actuated mechanism for causing lateral adjustment of the outer blade 24 in any of the various positions,` of angular adjustment thereof may comprise a suitable expansible and retractible double-acting hydraulic unit having a cylinder 46 ixedly mounted on the arm 30 in alignment therewith withits piston rod 47xedly con:

function of the element 20 is as a supporting element for the outer blade 24, together with the means for angularly and laterally adjusting it.

It is important to note that the lever arm 30 `serves as a means for pivotally connecting the power unit 46 to the supporting element or blade 20 coaxially to the pivotal connection 23 of the outer blade 24. Thus the line of thrust of the pistou rod 47 is exerted at all times parallel to the extension and retraction movement of the blade 24. Y

It will further be apparent that the arm 30 and its associated pins 23 and 43 comprise a means for` connecting the outer blade 24 to the power unit 46 for extension and` contraction with such unit, as well as for pivotal movement with the said unit 46.

While the sliding connection between the lever arm and the outer blade defined by the pin 43 and slot 44 is desirable, this connection merely serves to duplicate the function of the piston rod 47 in angularly supporting the outer end of the blade 24 and guiding it in its lateral projection and retraction. Although this connection 43, 44 is obviously desirable for reinforcing the piston rod 47 against deflection by thevery appreciable forces transmitted thereto from the leveler blade 24 during its operation, such connection is not essential to the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the connection 43, 44

maybe omitted, particularly where the piston rod 47,

and cylinder 46, or'equivalent means, are made aufliciently rugged to withstand the deflection forces imposed thereon by the blade `24.

that the power unit 39, together with its associated lever arm 34, will constitute a power actuated means for angularly adjusting the unit 46 and through it the outer blade 24,

In the operation of the invention, it will be seen that the entire leveler structure may be bodily raised or lowered to the desired operating height through vertical adjustment of the cross head 11 in the guide 10. Then through appropriate actuation of the power unit 39, `the outer blade 24 may be adjusted angularly either upwardly or downwardly from its horizontal position as shown in the drawings, whereby the portion of the blade 24 pro jecting beyond the auxiliary blade 50 may form a shoulder or surface at any desired angle within a given range. The auxiliary blade 50 may also be adjusted about its pivot 51 to any of various desired angles for actuation in usual manner on the inner portion of the shoulder thus formed.

Moreover, by actuation Vof the hydraulic unit 46, the blade 24 may be extended or retracted laterally in any of its. angulary positions to thus; va-r'y the widtlr.- ot`- the stp Aof terrainv acted upon, as may bedesired. t .l Y

Obviously, the power units139, and'46- are Aadjustable independently of each other when the: mechanism; of the invention is in operation, and it will be apparent, therefore, that the invention may be employed to,` generate a changing contour, as will bev desiredVv from time to time in actual practice in the grading of ditches and shoulder contours beside railroad tracks, roads or the like.

In the present application, we have shown anddescribedv only the preferred, embodmentgof the invention simply byway of illustratingthe preferred modeV of practicing the invention as by law required. However, we recognize that the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and that its several details may be modied in various ways. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are to be considered vas merely illustrative in nature and by no means restrictive.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A ballast leveler comprising an inner leveler blade and means for supporting same in laterally projecting relation from a forwardly movingcarrier, an outer blade supporting lever fulcrumed on said inner blade for vertical angular adjustment, hydraulic mechanism interconnected between the lever and said inner blade at locations remote from the fulcrum of said lever for elfecting and maintaining various angular adjustments of said lever, an outer leveler blade carried by said lever and guided for angular adjustment therewith and for lateral adjustment thereon, and hydraulic mechanism separate from said first mentioned mechanism interconnected between said lever-V and said outer blade for eifecting and maintaining various lateral adjustments of said blade.

2. A ballast leveler comprising an inner leveler blade and means for supporting same in laterally projecting relation from a forwardly moving carrier, an outer blade supporting lever fulcrumed on said inner blade for vertical angular adjustment, said lever having a normally lat erally extending arm and an outer leveler blade carried by said lever arm for angular adjustment therewith and lateral adjustment thereon.

3. A ballast leveler comprising an inner leveler blade and means for supporting same in laterally projecting relation from a forwardly moving carrier, an outer blade supporting lever fulcrumed on said innerblade Vfor vertical angular adjustment, an outer leveler blade carried by said lever for angular adjustment therewith and for lateral adjustment thereon, and means associated with said lever for maintaining the outer blade in various posi tions of angular and lateral adjustment.

4. Thek combination of claim l in which said hydraulic mechanisms and said lever are located rearwardly of said inner blade, having regard to its direction of movement, said outer blade projecting laterally outwardly beyond said inner blade and being located forwardly thereof, whereby abutting engagement between the overlapping portions of said blades will reinforce said outer blade against rearward deection.

5. A ballast leveler comprising an inner leveler blade and means for supporting same in laterally outwardly projecting relation on a forwardly moving carrier, an

vouter blade pivotally connected to said inner blade for vertical angular adjustment relative thereto, said pivotal connection being xed to one of said blades and relatively A laterally displaceable with regard to the other said blade for permitting relative lateral adjustment of the blades while maintaining said pivotal connection operative.

6. The combination of claim including power means operatively interconnected between said blades for effecting relative lateral adjustment therebetween.

7. The combination of claim 6 including additional power means operatively interconnected between said blades for-effecting relative angular adjustment therebetween.

8. The combination of claim crumed on one ofsaidbladesfor vertical angular adjustment, and having a lever arm operatively connected to the other of said blades eccentrically to the pivotal connection between said blades for effecting relativev angular adjustment between said` blades,y and powerjmeans interconnecting said one blade and the lever `for eifecting and maintaining various angular adjustmentsof saidL lever.

9. The combination ofclaim- 8-wherein the fulcrum ofy said lever and said pivotal connection yare both de,- iined by a pivot pin'xedly positioned on said inner blade, and received in a lateral slot insaid outer blade whereby to permit lateral adjustment of said outer blade relative to the'inner blade; j

10. A ballast leveler comprising an inner leveler blade and means for supporting same in laterally outwardly projecting relation' on one side of a forwardly moving carrier, an outer blade and a lever having relatively coaxial pivotal connections to said inner blade on the front and rear sides respectively, of said inner blade, for vertical angular adjustment, said outer blade and said lever both projecting laterally outwardly beyond said inner blade, a connection between the outer blade and the outer end of said lever for causingl angular adjustment of same together about said pivot, the said outer blade being relatively laterally adjustable on both of its said connections.

ll. The combination of claim l0, including means interconnected between the said lever and said inner blade for maintaining said lever in any of various positions of vertical angular adjustment.

l2. The combination of claim ll, including additional means interconnected between said lever and said outer blade for maintaining the latter in any of various positions of lateral adjustment.

13, A ballast leveler comprising a supporting element, a leveler blade pivotally connected to said element for angular movement relative thereto and for radial adjustment relative to said pivotal connection, means interconnected between said supporting element and said blade for angularly adjusting the latter, and separate means connecting said blade to said supporting element for radially adjusting said blade, said connection between the last-mentioned means and said supporting element comprising a pivotal connection coaxial with the pivotal connection between the blade and said element.

14. A ballast leveler comprising a supporting element, a leveler blade pivotally connected to said element for angular adjustment relative thereto and for radial adjustment relative to said pivotal-connection, and extensible means interconnected between said blade and said element for radially adjusting said blade, said means having a pivotal connection to said element coaxial with said irst pivotal connection.

l5. The combination of claim 14 wherein both of said pivotal connectionsV include a common pivot pin xedly supported by said supporting element, said pin being slidably and rotatably received in a radial slot in said blade.

16. The combination kof claim 15 including separate means interconnected between said element and said blade for angularly adjusting the blade, the interconnection of' said means with the blade including a pin carried by said means and slidably disposed in a radial slot in said blade.

17. In a ballast leveling device including an inner' ASlincluding alever larly adjusting said levergand said outery blade aboutk vertical angular adjustment relative thereto and for radialY adjustment relative to said Vpivotal connection, rigid extensible means interconnected between said blade and said elementFfor radially adjusting and vertically sup? portingsaid blade,said` means having a pivotal connection to s aid element coaxial with the rst-mentioned pivotal connecti0n,tand separate mechanism connected between said element and the extensible means for vertically supporting and adjusting the latter about its said pivotal connection.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein Vsaid mecht, References cued'rin'rhe nie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS f 'j 912,282 y Catferty a V- Feb. 16, 1909 1,993,282 Porter Mar. 5, `1935 2,095,157 Speno Oct. 5, 1937 2,491,797 Burns et al Dec.` 20, 1949 2,594,727 Burggren Apr. 29, 1952 

